This content was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
A three-judge panel of the same court had just a few hours before the decision that was made to support Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s ( RFE/RL ) efforts to secure congressionally mandated funds to keep operations going in the upcoming weeks.
The panel’s decision to put a lower court’s decision on hold a lower court’s decision in the case, which pits RFE/RL against its overseer, the US Agency for Global Media ( USAGM ), was granted an “administrative stay” by the full 11-judge bench of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, late on May 7.
RFE/RL has sued USAGM to get the second half of the upcoming fiscal year’s April through September resources money frozen.
A temporary restraining order was issued on April 29 by US District Judge Royce Lamberth for RFE/RL, stating that Congress “ordained that the cash at issue may be allocated to RFE/RL” and that President Donald Trump ratified the budget decision appropriating those resources. His ruling required RFE/RL to receive payment in the amount of$ 12 million for April.
However, on May 7, the three-judge appeals court board affirmed Lamberth’s get pending appeal, which decreased RFE/RL’s chances of receiving the April funding anytime soon and furthered its already significantly reduced operations into jeopardy. The decision came in a 2-1 decision.
However, hours after, the entire 11-member judge responded to an urgent request from RFE/RL and halted the panel’s decision “pending further purchase of the court.”
The courtroom emphasized that the remain was intended to give it” ample opportunity to consider the crisis petitions and should not be interpreted in any way as a decision on the merits of those petitions,” in its decision, which also covered another suits involving USAGM.
The judge’s four Republican-appointed magistrates dissented, and the result of the decision is that USAGM must comply with Judge Lamberth’s order to pay RFE/RL on April 29.
The US Supreme Court may regard or drop to consider the case, even though the court’s most recent operational stay is not its last ruling. USAGM has the option to take the case on appeal.
A personal, independent foreign media firm called RFE/RL has programs on numerous platforms that reach a regular audience of nearly 50 million people in 23 nations, including Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asian and Southeast nations.
Since March 14, when Trump signed an executive order directing the reduction of USAGM and the broadcasters it regulates, including the Voice of America (VOA ), which is a federal entity, to” the maximum extent consistent with applicable law,” it has been locked in a legal battle with the USAGM.
RFE/RL has continued to broadcast and publish despite having no money for April and beyond, but has taken major cost-savings measures, including placing plenty of staff members on layoffs and dropping numerous independent deals.
